Friday, July 24, 2009

Do you remember being young and full of questions? Remember pestering your parents with them until they turned to the answer "Because I said so," and then you'd be like "by why?"I kinda feel that way about our children's healthcare.We're living in a day and age of "because I said so" treatments, procedures, and medications. When was the last time your doctor explained just what the exact reason your blood pressure was high and just how that pricey perscription (whose name also happens to be on the pen she signed said perscription with) works?No. Your blood pressure is high, so take this. Why? Because.And when did they ever sit you down to explain just why that medication your on says to avoid prolonged sun exposure? They just expect you to accept that you have to, because. No, they can't inform you as to whether it causes rashes, increased intensity of sunburn, or as in some cases, magnifies the effects of the medication much like alcohol. By treating health decisions on a "because" basis, patients are robbed of their own ability to make rational decisions for themselves. Its degrading, because it assumes we are stupid.Its the same way with vaccinations.When was the last time your conversation with your child's pediatrician was more than "looks like Millicent's due for her next round of shots." And if you ask why, you get the medical version of "because."Show me the studies which prove its safe, don't just brush me off with "school system requirements." That, my friends, is a load of bull. Show me, through unbiased studies with clear and unquestionable results, that I need to subject my child to injections of toxins. Don"t brush me off like an over-inquisitive five year old who wants to know why you're shining that light in his ears.If everything the medical world is pushing on us is so very beneficial, then why don't they go out of their way to educate us? Why do they not supply us with information, accessible, easy to comprehend information, until we're begging them to say "because?" Because they don't think we'll like the answers.As always, if I'm wrong, then please, please, please prove me wrong.Educate people so they can make informed decisions, not just about vaccines, but about medicines, tests, procedures, and even multi vitamins. A school requirement is not a reason to make a health decision. Health is a reason to make a health decision.

2
reflections:

It's a mistaken belief that physicians understand medications. The fact is that they could spend 40 hrs/week learning about medications. Pharmacists are the ones who know medications and can provide information about the side-effects, precautions, etc. That's why many of them offer to answer questions when customers pick up prescriptions.